Curated OER
Evolutionary Relationships Based Upon Comparative Genetics
Students investigate the protein cytochrome c in an attempt to use its genetic chemistry to study possible evolutionary relationships between organisms. The lesson integrates technology with the use computers to perform DNA analysis.
Clean Up Australia
Why are Batteries Harmful to the Environment?
Open this lesson by reading together about primary and secondary batteries (such as nickel-cadmium cells), problems they can cause in the environment, and how humans can minimize the damage. Afterward, little ones examine a collection of...
Curated OER
Flutter Farm
Fifth graders explore the life cycle of butterflies. In this butterfly lesson, 5th graders use their research skills to create a PowerPoint presentation featuring the butterflies of North America.
Curated OER
Art Imitating Life
Students investigate art to discover the role of women in history. In this fine arts lesson, students examine art pieces from the Internet and identify the time period and the civilization it came from. Students discuss their observations.
Curated OER
Creating Energy From Water
Students study water and its energy. For this water energy lesson, students discuss hydroelectricity and make models of water turbines.
Curated OER
Short Story Elements
Students engage in a lesson that investigates the elements that are necessary in a short story. Each element is covered separately while they take notes for each part. Then the teacher points out each element while reading a short story...
Curated OER
Physiological Adaptations
Students investigate the concepts of genetics and how it is tied to the variations found within different species and how it is tied to adaptations. They review the theory of evolution and factors found to help create variation. The...
Curated OER
How the Kangaroo Got Its Pouch
Students perform a play based on a legend. In this performing arts lesson, students read the legend Kangaroo Gets a Pouch and brainstorm ways to turn the story into a play. Students prepare for a short play, including costumes and...
Curated OER
A Simple Task Made Complex: Types of Sentences
Looking for a lesson about differing sentence types? Use this lesson on compound and complex sentences in your grammar unit. After composing simple, compound, complex and compound-complex sentences individually and as part of a group,...
Curated OER
Author's Purpose: Research Process/Narrative Writing Techniques
Determine the author's purpose in writing a memoir. Eighth graders work in groups to elicit author's purpose in memoirs, taking care to note how subtle the message can be hidden throughout the work. This instructional activity is a...
Curated OER
How to Locate and Evaluate Information, Part III - Internet Sites
This is the third in a series of lessons scaffolding the research paper. It purports to teach researchers how to evaluate internet sites, but the lack of links, specific criteria, or site evaluation rubrics would require additional...
Texas Education Agency (TEA)
Build a Paper Structure
Who knew that paper is an amazing building material? Scholars learn about the properties of planar materials, such as paper, as well as their structural capabilities in the sixth lesson a series of 11 on architecture. Working in groups,...
Curated OER
Two Variable Linear Equations
Everything you need to teach a lesson on two variable linear equations is right here. Objective, vocabulary, tech tips videos, and multiple downloadable files are all included. Learners will use the TI-Nspire technology to determine the...
Curated OER
Graphs of the OTHER Trig Functions
Students graph trigonometric functions. In this precalculus lesson, students identify the properties of secant ,cosecant and cotangent. They use the unit circle as their formula to graph and analyze these functions.
Curated OER
Exploring the Normal Curve Family
Students find different characteristics of the bell curve. In this statistics instructional activity, students analyze a family for a specific characteristic. They identify the shape, center, spread and area as they analyze the...
Curated OER
Comparing Mitosis with Meiosis
Life science learners view an online animated mini textbook comparing two types of cell division. Working in groups, they use a digital microscope to capture images of cells in different stages of mitosis and meiosis. Then they create an...
Curated OER
Organizing Principles of Plants and Animals
Three lessons and five assessments are contained in this material. Various paper shapes are sorted as a simulation of biological classification. Learners gather a list of living things that they are familiar with and design a...
Curated OER
Coast-to-Coast Book Design-Part 1: What is a book?
In this first of four lessons on book design, students are introduced to the vocabulary of book design through the use of bookwalks and a non-linear PowerPoint presentation in game-show (Jeopardy!) format.
Curated OER
Sentence Combining
Students combine simple sentences into compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences. For this combining sentences lesson, students are given short, choppy sentences and combine them into more mature sentences. Students...
Curated OER
Venn Diagram for Compare/Contrast
Use this instructional activity to focus on a compare and contrast writing structure in your middle school language arts class. Here, young writers compare and contrast two texts using graphic organizers. They use a double bubble format...
Curated OER
Two-Variable Linear Inequalities
Here is an engaging instructional activity on solving equations with two variables. Have the class rewrite linear equations in the slope intercept form, y=mx + b. They graph the lines using the slope and y-intercepts.
Curated OER
The Magic School bus Inside A Hurricane
Students investigate the concept of a hurricane by using the cartoon series "The Magic Schoolbus" to simulate the fantasy of traveling through a hurricane. The instructional activity uses a KWL graphic organizer in order to guide student...
Curated OER
The King's Chessboard
Middle schoolers speculate on the better rate of pay: a dollar a day for 10 days, or a penny the first day, two pennies the second, doubling each day for 10 days. Start by listening to the story The King's Chessboard, by David Birch....
Curated OER
My Many Colored Days
Students explore feelings. In this mental health cross-curriculum lesson, students listen to My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss and discuss their own moods and feelings. Students sing related songs, write about feelings, and...